(Reviewed by JD Jung)
If you’re a fan of novels where nothing is as it seems—where every character harbors a secret and the truth lies buried beneath layers of deception, then Red Lily is for you. What begins as an innocent journey quickly unravels into a tale of suspense, drawing the reader into a world where trust is fleeting and danger is constant.
It’s 1989, and thirty-four-year-old Carl Box is divorced, living a quiet, but contented life in Orlando, Florida with his disabled dog, Billy. Both parents are deceased, but he remembers his father constantly speaking of his Aunt Lily with such disdain. So, when Carl receives notification that she has died, and he is her heir, he is more than confused.
Not being one to travel, when he is provided with a first-class ticket to Paris to settle her estate, he is apprehensive. After encouragement from a friend, he decides to go with Billy in tow. Once he arrives, the situation is not what he anticipates and that is where the action begins. He finds that Aunt Lily was more than just an editor. Could she have also been a Soviet spy or Communist sympathizer?
Carl encounters a cast of characters who are all hiding something. Every person Carl meets, no matter how minor they seem at first, plays a pivotal role in the escalating plot. As dead bodies begin to surface and the stakes rise, Carl’s once-ordered life dissolves into chaos, forcing him to navigate a deadly game he never signed up for.
That said, Red Lily is not only thrilling, but also fun. These characters, though deceptive, are quite quirky. The author is successful in lightening the mood, without giving up on the gripping plot.
Don’t skip the “Author’s Note” at the end—it provides fascinating insight into the real-life story that partially inspired this work, grounding the thrilling fiction in actual historical intrigue.
I usually don’t care for “cozy” mysteries, but Red Lily is an exception. It’s a page-turner that will keep you guessing until the final chapter.
